Docking and disembarkation time in Civitavecchia

[QuangFre]

Fast track is a pass you can buy at Rome airport for priority line at security and passport check.

It costs 8 euros pp.

[basma]

I found QuangFre's report very helpful because it was real experience, not just good-intent advice of extreme (sometimes even a little irrational) caution. Often, out of practicality we need to cut it a little closer than ideal. You know there is still a comfortable margin (QuangFre's was perhaps too close for comfort). But as you hear more or more calls to caution, you begin to worry. After all, anything can happen right?

 

The standard HAL guideline is to allow 5 hours for FCO departure after Civitavecchia scheduled disembarkation. Can anyone share some real life stories, whether happy or unhappy, when they did allow themselves less time. Experiences about using HAL airport transfer, especially in the aspect of expeditiousness (e.g. what time did the bus actually depart and arrive at airport, did it take long to load/unload passengers and luggage) would be most appreciated too. Thank you.

[sammiedawg]

Everyone will book what they are comfortable with but I’ve read exaggerated comments on this disembarkation for years.   Cruise lines make a regular market in Rome,  they are in and out all the time.   Years ago a cruise line we were on was transferrring to the airport at 5am for 7am flights.  It is forty to forty five minutes by car service.   This is not NYC or LA. , traffic is kind of rural.  If you want to get to the continental US at a decent time look for noonish flights but we have done earlier. 

We also love booking Rome Cabs for these transfers.   They will tell you what time to disembark and how soon you will arrive.  

We rarely do cruise line transfer buses. Why wait for a bus to fill.  

 

it has been our experience that airlines gates in Europe are not assigned and will not open until 60-90 minutes before flight time.   So you can get in the line way early but you will mostly sit on the floor and wait.  Last time we were there we even got in the tax return line and still had time to kill before the gate opened.  I would not disembark the day before in Naples to make the airport as this port is not that bad.   We’ve disembarked early from exotics to avoid red eye flights.  

[QuangFre]

Fast track pass is some priority pass you can buy to get expedited through passport control( if applicable) and security check.

This is available at Rome airports.

[cruisemom42]

I fly in and out of FCO at least annually, sometimes more often. It can be a bit chaotic, but IMO it is less so now than a few years ago.

 

If you don't want to purchase special fast-track passes or similar, my advice would be to plan on leaving the ship 4 hours ahead of your flight time if you have arranged for private transport. It will take a few minutes to find your ride and load your luggage; added to the drive time, it's about an hour until you reach FCO. (Rome may not be LA or NYC, but there is still traffic to be negotiated, particularly in the 'morning rush' period....)  I like to have 3 hours upon reaching the airport if flying to the US. If you are flying 1st/Business or have priority with your airline, 2.5 hours is fine.

 

As I've posted before, I'd rather be at the airport a bit early and enjoy a nice last cappucino and cornetto (or some duty-free shopping) than standing in a long line sweating bullets over whether I'll make the flight.

 

There is not a good route from Civitavecchia to FCO using the train -- a change of train is required plus using the port shuttle and a local bus (or walking) to get to the train station in Civi; not pleasant if you are toting lots of luggage and are on a schedule.

 

There are a number of well-recommended private services and shared shuttles (a bit cheaper) -- easily found on the Italy Ports of Call forum.

[basma]

Thank you all for your tips, sammiedawg, QuangFre, cruisemom42. You gave me a good idea of how to plan. Since the HAL airport transfer and private transfer are roughly the same price, I would prefer to just book the airport transfer while onboard the ship. I won't have quite the 5 hours, just 4 hr 35 min. But I will be flying business class, and not to the US but to Canada. If using the bus takes no more than 2.5 hr from scheduled disembarkation to airport, leaving me with over 2 hours to catch my flight, I think I should be OK. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

That is to tight.

[kazu]

14 hours ago, basma said:

Thank you all for your tips, sammiedawg, QuangFre, cruisemom42. You gave me a good idea of how to plan. Since the HAL airport transfer and private transfer are roughly the same price, I would prefer to just book the airport transfer while onboard the ship. I won't have quite the 5 hours, just 4 hr 35 min. But I will be flying business class, and not to the US but to Canada. If using the bus takes no more than 2.5 hr from scheduled disembarkation to airport, leaving me with over 2 hours to catch my flight, I think I should be OK. 

 

Flying to Canada, you still need to go through passport control, security, etc.

 

Air Canada recommends a 2 hour check in so theoretically you should be ok.

 

Me?  I’d rather be there earlier and have it done.  You’re biz class - you can go to the lounge.

 

If a private transfer is the same price as a HAL transfer, I’d do the private in a nano second.  It’s not hard to arrange before you go.  It’s a much nicer ride and prompter than on the bus.  JMO though.

[Cheekyrn1]

We have decided to disembark in Naples the night before...this allows us to catch a 9am flight and be home same day...there were no flight options out of FCO to get us home same day to West Texas

[racnwdow]

1 hour ago, Cheekyrn1 said:

We have decided to disembark in Naples the night before...this allows us to catch a 9am flight and be home same day...there were no flight options out of FCO to get us home same day to West Texas

 If you have a TA have then get permission to leave the ship a day early.  Otherwise contact HAL to get this permission.  We are also getting off early (one day) for the same reason you are (but to Omaha).

 

[Cheekyrn1]

4 hours ago, racnwdow said:

 If you have a TA have then get permission to leave the ship a day early.  Otherwise contact HAL to get this permission.  We are also getting off early (one day) for the same reason you are (but to Omaha).

 

We did....we are looking forward to having a quiet evening to relax and chat about our adventure. We have a room at the Marriott and will have a nice dinner , do a little walking then catch 9am flight